The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-01-01

her, whether through the year just opened
she should strive to keep together
her husbands home comforts; or whether
she must not relinquish all, and thus
confess that she hoped no more for his
return. She had almost forgotten Uncle
Charlie, when she caught glimpse of
| his familiar face
II knew he would GOMEZ knew he would
| comet shouted little Georgia, and before
his mother could reach the door, the happy
boy was Juggling at the latch. We need not
describe with what joy Uncle Charlie was
welcomed, or how before his pleasant smile
pleasant though sad for he could feel
the gloomy thoughts of Mrs Merrill gave
her respite. Wonderful were the stores of
toys and bon-bons which came out of Uncle
Charles pockets for his little nephew.
Deep was the blush with which Mrs. Mer-
rill received a sealed envelope which Uncle
Charlie babe her to put in her pocket and to
hold her peace.
"Charles, you are robbing YOURSELF
''Mel and | a bachelor, without a wife, or
chick, or child Beside, it's all charged,
and will be paid when your husband comes
home"
Mrs Merrill sadly shook her head. Uncle
| Charlie knew her forebodings. Perhaps he
shared them. But Uncle Charlie was always
a child. In the darkest day he could see
sunlight. If he had been a broker he could
have carried the most forlorn stock and,
when forced to give away, drop his load and
rejoice UlitJ ne was released IRON DuFLlen.
The mans confidence was as adamant and
his spirits as a perennial fountain. He was
determined to believe that his brother
| would return, and if the absentee never
came back, so much the more was he bound
to keep up for the happiness of his widow
and child.
"Why, Uncle Charlier' said George, as
he surveyed his presents, you did not
bring me one book!'
mo more l did, said Uncle Charlie.
'But will give you all my books when you
| are Z man, and you shall be a lawyer like
me. You might look at Jack the Giant
Killer which | gave you last year, if you
had not torn it all to pieces!'
80, haven't, you naughty uncle" said
the child, as he produced i'll triumph the
well-kept classic.
by the way, sister, said Uncle Charlie,
whose thoughts now reverted to his morn
ing's adventure, Il want you to shock all
the proprieties, and brighten Mrs. Grundy
out of her wits this afternoon"
Little Geordie looked up, wondering what
kind Of New Years game this might por-
| tend
81 met a little witch this morning."
Geordie's eyes were ready to burst from
| his head and his mother divided her smiles
between the lively uncle and the astonished
nephew.
"And 1 wish you to call and see her with
me-"
40, I should so like to see witch!,
cried Geordie ''Is it in the menagerie?"
''Never you mind Geordie. You'll see
| the witch soon enough"
Mrs. Merrill was not hard to persuade to
accompany her brother. She was accus-
| toned to his erratic movements, and never
thwarted them; for whatever conventional
rules might be laughingay broken, the man
was always right, for his heart was kind,
and his head was sound. So little Geordie
was left, with Jack the Giant Killer, in
| charge of the house, and Uncle Charlie took
| his sister with him to keep his appointment
with the little enigma and her mother.
| We need not go with him on his second
call, for the result of the interview will de-
velop itself. When Uncle Charlie and his
| sister returned new tableau met their
eyes in the parlor. A stranger, with huge
| mustache and beard to give an upholsterer
an outfit, was sitting in the best and coolest
chair; and Geordle, on the strangers knees,
| was comparing his hirsute visage with that
of Jack Of high renoWn. Uncle Charlie
stopped second at the door. Mrs. Merrill
| rushed past him, with scream of delight,
| and in moment more Geordie was rolling
on the carpet. with the force of the concus-
| sion; Mrs. MerrilPs head was lost in the
| forest on the strangers face, and Uncle
| Charlie was giving three cheers and d
tiger. In this little Geordie vocifer-
ously joined, while he rubbed his
! knees; concluding, like a sensible boy
that to shout was better than to whine
| All forthwith began to talk at once, and
we can not undertake to tell half they said
Or chief interest to our tale is the eXpla-
nation which Mrs. Merrill gave of her
| absence; how she went to see Mrs. Oliver,
whose husband went to California.
And died there, " interrupted Mr. Merrill.
"She knows that poor SOUL" SAID Uncle
Charlie.
"But she don't know" said Mr. Merrill,
'that her husband left her $4,000. He was
|
wish he could have lived to return with me.
But he died full of love for his wife and
child, and charged me with many messages
to them. l closed his eyes and from that
day set my face homeward"
''Why did you not writer
$50 did, dozen tunes. But where is
Charles fed! | have not so much as shaken
hands with him yet"
Il guess he's gone to see the witch" cried
little Geordie.
"Or the witch's MOTHER said Mrs. Mer-
rill.
Uncle Charles soon returned, and con-
fesSed the fact that he thought it his duty
to break the intelligence to the widow. And
his duty has been very much blended with
hers ever since. Her fortune she settled
upon Edith-her hand, at the proper time
she gave to Uncle Charlie, and she never
has said, since that New Years morning.
| that she had not friend in the world.
Ill
am putting the finishing words to my
narrative on this 31st day of December, A.
D. IS. l am sitting in my husbands
den" as he persists in calling the most
| inviting room in the house. especially invit-
ing to me when he is in it. | sometimes
enter when he is away; but confess that
| then the dead smell of tobacco smoke is not
so agreeable. / would, in his absence, put
his room in order, and have once or twice
| attempted it, but have received any thing
| but thanks for my of1icious service. | am
or rather was-little Edith. Another little
Edith is just now gone to bed, and the four
corners of her crib are hung with stock
| ings. The grand New Years denonstra-
ton is, however, in the back parlor, the
second edition of huge Christmas tree.
| George (no longer little Geordie) will spoil
| the child and | tell him so.
| Georges father and mother and my father
and mother (for Uncle Charlie is father
now, will dine with us tomorrow. We
| dined with him on Christmas day, as we
| always have since we were married. George
sits now on the other side of his big library
| light, wasteful gas consumer l can't
make him content with a blaze of proper
| size, and so am forced to turn down the
parlor gas and sit up here, for economy's
| sake, when there is nobody in the house
but ourselves. How easy it is to find excel
lent reasons for what you wish to do! But
then, know if did not come and sit with
him, he would carry his awful Pipe
But hear hearl George Merrill, ESQ.,
counselor and attorney-at-law, has struck